ABC to debut DeAnna Pappas' 'The Bachelorette' edition on May 19

By Christopher Rocchio, 03/31/2008

ABC has announced The Bachelorette's fourth season, which will follow rejected The Bachelor eleventh-season suitor DeAnna Pappas as she whittles down 25 men in an attempt to find true love, will premiere Monday, May 19 at 9PM ET/PT.

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Following it's two-hour debut -- which will air immediately after Dancing with the Stars final sixth-season performance episode broadcast -- The Bachelorette will air regularly from 8-10PM ET/PT beginning Monday, May 26.

The Bachelor's Fall 2007 eleventh season ended with its star Brad Womackfailing to present his final rose to either one of his final two suitors -- Pappas or Jenni Croft, who reunited with her former live-in boyfriend immediately after The Bachelor's filming.

Womack then rejected the 26-year-old Neunan, GA real estate agent a second time during The Bachelor's After The Final Rose broadcast. During a subsequent interview with Reality TV World, Pappas expressed interest in serving as The Bachelorette's object of affection.

"Of course I would," said Pappas. "I believe in the experience and I believe that it can truly happen, and it happened for me. I'm sorry that Brad didn't have the feelings on his end, but I believe it and I think it can happen and I would be honored if they asked me to do it."

Chris Harrison will return as The Bachelorette's host, with Mike Fleiss, Martin Hilton and David Bohnert serving as executive producers. The Bachelorette is produced by Next Entertainment in association with Warner Horizon Television.

In addition to The Bachelorette's fourth-season debut, ABC has also announced premiere dates for seven other reality shows the network will air this summer. The Mole's fifth season will premiere on Monday, May 26 at 10PM ET/PT; Wipeout will premiere on Tuesday, June 24 at 8PM ET/PT; I Survived a Japanese Game Show will premiere on June 24 at 9PM ET/PT; Hopkins will premiere on Thursday, June 26 at 10PM ET/PT; Dance Machine will premiere on Friday, June 27 at 8PM ET/PT; High School Musical: Summer Session will premiere on Sunday, July 20 at 8PM ET/PT; and Wanna Bet will premiere on Monday, July 21 at 9PM ET/PT.